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Jackie, you'd also be well advised to post the demo here first in the MP3 forum for feedback regarding the lyrics and the music & production. Folks on the forum are pretty knowledgable, and can give valuable feedback about the standard of the demo (text/music) and whether it's in fact ready to be submitted.

The fact is that even if a publisher gives permission to send a demo - or accepts unsolicited demos - he/she is going to be looking for something that's absolutely top-notch and not needing further work.

You're getting good advice here. Go slow. First, make sure you are writing good songs. You need honest, hardball criticism to determine that. Then once you have determined, through much outside criticism combined with education on the mechanics of songwriting, you need to determine which genre or genres of music your songwriting talents fit. This requires a real, in depth understanding of the genres.

All of this, in my opinion, is best achieved by developing a team of people to act as advisers. One of this teams tasks is to protect your career from predatory individuals or businesses. I recommend reading this:

Also, as I said, you need to educate yourself in songwriting. You need to learn the techniques, the business, the various methodologies of the business. The best single source, if you haven't read it already, is this:

I can not recommend more strongly that you take some of these steps before seeking to enter the world of professional songwriting. It is a world that is fraught with con artists and deceptive services that have easily stung folks who were very savvy in other businesses. It is also a business in which first impressions can imprint a songwriter. Once a songwriter blankets the industry with songs that may be "good" songs but are not up to the quality level of known writers (not the quality level of the "hits" but of the known writers...different thing...long story) or once they blanket the industry with songs that do not fit the target genres or artists, said writers can quickly develop a reputation of being "clueless" and unprofessional and soon find it difficult to be heard by the movers and shakers.

I hope you take or have taken these important first steps before jumping into the biz.

You've got to know your limitations. I don't know what your limitations are. I found out what mine were when I was twelve. I found out that there weren't too many limitations, if I did it my way. -Johnny Cash

There's plenty of scam artists happy to "listen" to anything you send them. And they'll do all sorts of things... for a price.

Be very careful, as I don't know any active producers who want (or more importantly have any use for) unsolicited demos from people they don't personally know and/or who are not referred to them by someone they trust.

I have read those posts. I sent a copy of Big Dreams and Cold Beer to Mercury Records Nashville A&R. I called and asked how to get an invite and the person that I spoke to just said to send it to the address attention UMG A&R. I am not sure if it will be looked at or not. I was hoping that someone could give me a recommendation to someone more specific. I feel like picking someone is like a needle in a haystack.

And I always get a lot of good information on sources on JPF. So I am hopeful.

I have read those posts. I sent a copy of Big Dreams and Cold Beer to Mercury Records Nashville A&R. I called and asked how to get an invite and the person that I spoke to just said to send it to the address attention UMG A&R. I am not sure if it will be looked at or not. I was hoping that someone could give me a recommendation to someone more specific. I feel like picking someone is like a needle in a haystack.

And I always get a lot of good information on sources on JPF. So I am hopeful.

Thanks,~Jackie

Always a good idea to call first Jackie. Most publishers of Mercury Record's stature (if it’s “the” Mercury Records) won’t accept submissions from unknowns. But then occasionally one can get lucky with a phone call.

I once tried to get a song to a Streisand publisher (in which there are many). I made 20 phone calls till I found one that gave me permission to submit. Never heard back from them though.

Followed up with a phone call, only to be told they don’t accept unsolicited material, unless through a lawyer that they’re familiar with. They didn't remember me getting permission to submit.

Those all go right into the circular file. They can't take chances you wrote something that has a line later that by coincidence their writers also write and you sue them. They deal with known entities that aren't likely to sue or be a hassle. I doubt anyone will ever hear your music Jackie.

I don't know if they will ever give Big Dreams and Cold Beer a listen. But I am hopeful. It makes sense about the lawyer thing. And I don't know anyone personally working for them. But I can say when I called to follow up if they received the demo the girl I spoke with did say that they listen to everything and if they are interested they will contact me.

Cold calling publishers is a pretty tough ask. Real publishers really don't exist anymore ( like they did in the old days ) , they're more of an "after the fact" kind of thing to sow up the leagalities, after you've already made a tentative arangement with placement.

A good example is music libraries, whom foward your music to a prospective client, and then if the deal works out, take the role of publisher to sign off on it. ( along with 50% of the take )

A better option would be to work out who the up and coming artists are in your area or beyond, and get to know them as they grow. There are great artisits out there who are starting out, and who are not great songwriters.

Form your relationships early, and that will then grow to where others will introduce you, and you can take it from there.

The only way to get in with country music publishers is to come to Nashville and hang out at venues such as the Bluebird Cafe. Writer/publisher relationships take time to develop. Sending songs through the mail is a waste of time and money.

The basic rule is that the publishers that will take unsolicited material are a waste of time.

Those publishers you can't get to, are the good ones.

Sending material to a publisher by mail is a 100% waste of time.

Like with any regular job, you need a resumé with credentials and a network of people who knows you, to have your music seriously considered.

Assuming you don't hang around musicians, artists and people in the music industry, you can build credentials and start to network with a handful of professional demos, writing songs every day, collaborating your way up the songwriter "ladder", collecting reviews of your music, showing up at network events.. ect.

It can be a long process, for some, easily 10 years of dedicated work. Faster if you are really talented, not only in songwriting, but also in the networking and marketing department.

There really are no shortcuts to building a good reputation and building a great network of likeminded people.

You can get around this to some extent, if you own all the rights to your music (both the composition, AND the performances/recording of it - which you usually do, IF it's self-written/composed/performed or done in collaboration, with no professional studio involved).

In that case you can pitch your music to tv/film publishers/libraries, and build credentials faster, IF your music is competitive with whats out there now.

Brian and Magne have told you the way it really is. Unfortunate but true. In this business, it's who you know and who knows you... and if you have the talent and "product" they seek.

It hasn't always been that way... and there are lots of stories about those who found a way to "unlock the gates of Nashville" but they are the exceptions and probably represent less than 1% of the writers and artists who struggle to climb the music pyramid.

Don't be discouraged. Tenacity is your friend. Continue to sharpen your musical talons. Make some real contacts... people who may be able to give you a boost up that constantly moving ladder. Credentials must be earned and it begins with talent but ends with earned credibility. My very best to you for success and musical happiness.

There's plenty of scam artists happy to "listen" to anything you send them. And they'll do all sorts of things... for a price.

Be very careful, as I don't know any active producers who want (or more importantly have any use for) unsolicited demos from people they don't personally know and/or who are not referred to them by someone they trust.

Brian

Originally Posted by Brian Austin Whitney

I doubt anyone will ever hear your music Jackie.

Yeah...but you can't scare people that are just staring out into being afraid to play songs for people. They should play them for anybody that will listen. If you run into a scammer, just tell them no.

You certainly can't have a demo, and be afraid to play it...that's a pretty bad foot to start off on.

Being a person who has never been scammed...I have to wonder, where are people finding these scammers at? They must be hiding... or maybe they just don't do business with the legitimate...

I completely understand that you intent was to be honest and realistic. It just seemed like quite a jaded reaction. You gotta let people dream, and figure things out for themselves. Most likely, nobody will hear that demo where it's been sent...lesson learned. Try something else. It's certainly not gonna hurt to send demos to the circular file...it could get misplaced!

I totally agree that sending uninvited demos to the unexpecting is useless. But I know of a few cases where that exact thing has started long careers for people I know.

Actually I have been poking around the Net and am sending a submission to a couple of Publishers tomorrow. Actually I have known about them for some time but haven't sent any material to them. They do accept material according to their Web Sites. One has been in business a long time and it is a long shot but I have some good songs to send.

I took some of my older songs and transfered them to CD and put the lyrics in an updated file so I can print them when I pitch.

I thought about your reply a lot and the only local country artist year in the Ocala area that I know of is Easton Corbin. But I know you have to get in touch other ways than just giving your cd to an artist. If only he would take it to Nashville : )...lol

So I contacted my local country radio station DJ and he was so nice to reply and has shed his light on the subject.

I am going to explore all avenues that I have and hopefully I will find my way ~Jackie